Cystitis during pregnancy | Cystitis

Cystitis during pregnancy

During pregnancy the risk of getting a cystitis is relatively high. This means that about 15% of pregnant women are affected. This is probably related to the hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy.

The symptoms are similar to those of non-pregnant women. Here, too, one can distinguish an uncomplicated bladder infection from a complicated one. In addition, a bladder infection during pregnancy can increase the risk of a miscarriage or premature birth.

Therefore, the gynaecologist should be contacted at the first signs of a bladder infection. Your gynaecologist will weigh up which treatment is optimal according to the benefit-benefit ratio. As a rule, antibiotic treatment is also used in the early stages of uncomplicated cystitis. Only certain antibiotics are considered in certain phases of pregnancy, which the doctor uses according to the guidelines. Pregnant women can also support the healing process with household remedies and by following general rules of conduct that apply in the case of a bladder infection.

Differential diagnoses

In women, complaints such as lower abdominal pain or problems with urination can also result from inflammation of the female genital tract (pelvic inflammatory disease). In men, the prostate must always be considered. Other possible causes are chronic inflammation of the renal pelvis, special forms (see below), foreign bodies, bladder stones, urethritis or tumours (kidney cancer), all of which initially present similar, unspecific symptoms.

Special forms

• Irritable bladder (also Frequency – urgency – syndrome) There is no organ pathological finding. Disturbances in the innervation lead to an uncoordinated working of bladder and pelvic floor muscles. There is a more frequent and painful urge to urinate, although the complaints are typically less severe at night.

There is nothing abnormal in the urine. Psychosomatic treatment may be indicated for the mostly female patients. Anticonvulsant medication and, in older patients, local oestrogen are also used.

• Interstitial cystitis It occurs mainly in middle-aged women. The causes are still unclear. It is thought to be caused by barrier disorders of the lining mucous membrane, which allow the transfer of toxic urine components into the tissue.

But also autoimmune diseases or an undersupply of oxygen are discussed. The bladder muscle is transformed into connective tissue and the capacity of the bladder is reduced. – Urge incontinence (incontinence) The diagnosis can be made by means of excretion protocol and endoscopy.

In the latter, one can see typical, pinhead large mucous membrane bleeding after bladder dilation and also ulcers. Various drugs are used for therapy, including painkillers (analgesics), anti-allergics, glucocorticoids or immunosuppressive drugs. Sometimes substances such as heparin, BCG or clorpactin are injected directly into the bladder.

If the symptoms cannot be relieved, a surgical intervention becomes necessary (bladder dilatation). – Cystitis follicularis /granularis: This is a chronic inflammation with pinhead-sized nodes in the bladder mucosa. Cross section through the bladder and underlying prostate:

• Bladder
• Urethra
• Prostate
• Seed mound with the two openings of the spray channels
• Exit ducts of the prostate gland